Furniture construction



July 7, 1959 s. J. REPAICH FURNITURE CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets- Sheet 1' FIG. 2.

Filed De c; 12. 1955,

INV-EN'I'OR STEVE J. REPAICH ATTORNEYS July 7, 1959 5. J. REPAICH FURNITURE CONSTRUCTION FiIed Dec.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR STEVE I. REPAICH ATTORNEYS 4 31 53 coNsrnt-JcnoN Steve I. liepa icli, Ang eles, cant, assignor to Cali- QuiltuFurni reCorporatiomLos Angeles, cans, a

corporation of Cantor-n issues... swam 12. v1955asuit" 5525278 the side and back rest springs are attached by anchor members nailed to the-frame. Then the padding is applied and the upholstery is nailed to the frame over the padding. However, when such a frame is subjected to diagonal stressesit becomes permanentlywarped because the woodframedoes not havethat resiliency so necessary to cause it to return to its original shape when the 'diagonal stresses are relieved.

Also, the attachment of the springs to such a wood frame is not only time consuming and costly, but also,

due to splitting of ,the the springs, often become detached from the frame in spots, causing sagging.

Anoth rfobjeetionable feature or n wood frames is that itIoften becomes necessary to cut the frame elements into complicated shapes to 'p dfe for varied contours. frfaines also possess oth objectionable features. .For instance, the screws and nails used to secure the frame members" together often work loose as various stresses areapplied to the frame.

It isanlobject of my "invention to provide a con truetion whichovereomes those disadvantages of wood frames but which, at the same time, achieves an the advantages inherent in wood frames,

More particularly, it is an to provide a chair constructipn which utilizes a ;unit'ary'inner metalliclframe "provided with means for eeihilf'hfid securely anchoring the springs as well as contouring elements thereto, and which also utilizes an outer wood frame capable of damping any metallic sounds emanating from the metallic frame in the course of use. In my novel construction the normal stresses incident to use are absorbed by the metallic inner frame without any injury to the outer, wood frame.

Another object is to provide a construction which is conducive to eflicient utilization of vibrator elements, since in my construction the vibrator elements may be attached directly to the metallic inner frame portion so that all the resultant vibrations are efiiciently transmitted to the occupant, while the wood outer frame damps the sounds which might ordinarily be produced by such vibrations.

Other objects and corresponding advantages will appear hereinafter.

Without intending thereby to limit the broader aspects of my invention, except as may appear from the appended claims, but rather for explanatory purposes only, I shall now describe in detail a presently preferred embodiment of my invention, for which purpose I shall refer to the accompanying drawings wherein,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation with parts of the wooden outer frame removed for illustrative purposes;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation;

2,8 93,477 were J 1, 5

Fig. 2A is an enlarged section on line 2A-=2A of c Fig. 3 is' an enlarged fragmentary section taken 'on line 3-=-3 of Fig. 1; I

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of the metallic frame element; p

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the seat and back rest portions of my frame;

- Fig. 6 is an enlarged section taken on line e -'6 or Fig. 5; and l.

v Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary section on line 7 7 of- Fig. 5. w

Referring now to the drawings, I show at 5 what I term the inner base frame comprising rectangular side frame elements 15 each composed of angle iron strips 16 welded together, and bottom cross-members 17', members 17 likewise being of angle iron welded at their ends to the elements 16. I

a A pair of posts 20 are welded at their bottom ends to the bottom portion of the frame elements 15, and a seat supporting rod v19 is welded at its ends to the top ends of the posts. The numeral 30 generally denotes the unitary inner seat and back rest frame, likewise composed of angle iron strips and comprising side elements 32 and cross strips 34; Holes 35 are provided. in certain of the cross strips 34 for 'the reception of the hooked ends 37A of springs 37; while holes 38 are provided in those portions of the side elements 32 which define the sides 'offthe back rest, for the receptionof theliooked'endsof springs 39. Metallic contouring strips 40 and metallic bracing strips 42, 43 are welded to the side elements 32.

Those portions of the side elements 32 which in part define the seat frame have bosses 45 screwed or welded thereto and depending therefrom, the bottom surface .of each boss being notched at 46 to receive the rod 19, thuslenabling the seat and back rest frame to be tilted about the fod 19 relative to the base frame. To prevent the seat and back rest frame from being lifted from the rod 19, I provide a'pair of retaining plates 47 eachpf which has an opening ,to rotatably receive the rod-19, and the respective plates 47 are screwed to the sides of the respective bosses 45. The metallic base frame 5 is also provided with bracing strips 50 welded to the base frame, while the frame 30 has bracing strips 51 welded thereto.

Secured to the metallic base frameS I provide wood rip'ssin w to be d cribe wh c e n a o terba frame as well as provide a foundation to which the upholstery, indicated by broken lines U, may be tacked or nailed. A further function of the wood outer base frame is to damp any metallic sounds which might be generated by the metallic inner base frame. For instance, the base frame elements 15 have wood nailing strips 60, 61 secured thereto as by screws 62. Wooden bottom strips 65 are secured in like manner to the bottom portions of the frame elements 15 and front upright wooden strips 66 and side upright wooden strips 67 are secured to the strip 65. Bars 68, Welded to the base frame upright 15 facilitate attaching certain of the wooden strips thereto.

Frame 30 also has wooden strips 70, 71 secured thereto as by screws 73. The bottom ends of the strips 70 and the rear top edge portion of strips 67 are diagonally cut at 70A, 67A to facilitate swinging of the back rest relative to the base.

While I have described a preferred manner of arranging the outer Wooden frame elements about and securing them to the inner frame elements, it will be understood that various specific attaching means may be utilized so long as the metallic inner frame elements are arranged within the outer frame elements and so long as the wooden frame elements are positioned to provide foundation or nailingsurfaces for the reception of the upholstery nails. The positioning of the wood nailing strips of course may be varied according to the requirements of any given upholstery job. For instance, in Fig. I

,denote additional wood cross nailing strips 74.

After the framework is constructed as described and the spring elements 37, 39 installed, the desired padding may be applied and covered by upholstery as desired.

While I am aware that heretofore it has been proposed struction, I am able to incorporate a conventional vibratory element in the metallic frame construction in such manner that the full effect of the vibrations is transmitted throughout the seat and back rest inner frame.

For instance, in Figs. 1 and 2 I show a conventional eccentric type, electrically driven vibratory element 80 rigidly fixed to a metallic strap 81. The bottom end of the strip is rigidly secured to a metallic cross strip 82 which latter strip is in turn welded or otherwise rigidly secured at its ends to the side members 32 of the unitary inner seat and back rest frame, while the top end of the strap is secured to a plurality of springs 39 by clamping plates 85 and bolt 86.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that by my invention I have provided a chair construction which is practically unbreakable under all normal conditions of use, which will not warp when subjected to abnormal stresses, which is conducive to economical construction, which is extremely durable, which provides a reclining chair in which the relatively movable parts will not get out of alignment, in which the spring elements are an chored to the frame in such manner that they do not pull away, in which the stresses resulting from use of the chair in reclining position are imposed upon the metallic inner frame elements exclusively, and in which a vibratory element may be incorporated with maximum efliciency.

I claim:

1. In chair frame construction, the combination of angle iron strips welded together to define a unitary metallic inner base frame, wood strips secured to and disposed outside said base frame to define an outer base frame, angle iron strips welded together to define a unitary inner seat and back rest frame, wood strips secured to and disposed outside the back rest portion of said latter frame to define an outer back rest frame, means supporting said inner seat and back rest frame from said inner base frame, said latter means comprising :a bar of round cross-section disposed transversely of said inner base frame,.posts supporting said bar from said base frame, bosses depending from said inner seat and back rest frame and resting against said bar and plates rotatably carried by said bar and secured to said bosses.

2. In chair frame construction, the combination of metal strips welded together to define a unitary metallic inner base frame,.'wood strips secured to and disposed outside said base frame to define an outer base frame, metal strips welded together to define a unitary seat and back rest frame, wood strips secured to and disposed outside the back rest portion of said latter frame to define an outer back rest frame, and means supporting said inner seat and back rest frame on said inner base frame including a transverse metal member on said inner base frame and pivotal connection means between said trans- -verse metal member and said inner seat and back rest frame.

3. In chair frame construction, the combination of a metal base frame, a metal unitary seat and back rest frame, and means supporting said seat and back rest frame on said base frame, comprising a bar of round cross-section disposed transversely of said base frame, posts supporting said bar on said base frame, bosses depending from said seat and back rest frame and resting against said bar, and plates rotatably carried by said bar and secured to said bosses.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

